


Heroes For Hire

by LittleDidTheyKnow



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: #NotGivingUp, #SaveDaredevil, #WorthTheWait, #fandomwithoutfear, Bodyguard AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-02 04:42:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15789183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleDidTheyKnow/pseuds/LittleDidTheyKnow
Summary: Karen Page didn’t expect her life to go to hell for writing a story.That’s what happened when she was a witness to wrongdoing by one of the city’s foremost leaders. Her lawyer, Foggy Nelson, is dead-set on hiring Heroes for Hire to protect her, despite her feeling that a protection squad is a little over-the-top. Then she meets her rotating group of protectors: Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Daredevil.A little extra caution never hurt, right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Au where Nelson & Murdock never met Page, so they fell apart a lot sooner

“I really do appreciate what you’re doing here, Ms. Page.”

Karen Page looked out of Foggy Nelson’s office 36th floor window and sighed. Her malise wasn’t lost on the man who believed he was indebted to her ten times over. Before she graced his doorstep, he thought his case was over. 

“Not a lot of people would risk… I mean not a lot of people would _step up_ to be a key witness in a case that is so…”

Karen smiled. “You can say the word ‘dangerous,’ Mr. Nelson. It’s not like I haven’t been heard that word countless times.”

The printed emails sitring in a pile on his desk said a lot worse. At first, they were simple, “leave town,” “you know better,” “you’ll wish you had been smarter.” Then they became more direct: "back out or you're dead," and the most recent, "start writing your obituary," were among the dozen that had been sent to her work account had raised some major red flags with her editor.

“You really are a good person, Karen,” Foggy said genuinely. “I can’t do this without you. This case would be over and all those people would lose hope. They’re already living in fear over bringing a civil suit against Wilson Fisk.”

“You’ve got me as long as those messages don’t become true,” she pointed to the pile of death threats and forced a smile. She didn’t think she had long.

“Well, we have options,” Foggy said. “We could house you somewhere outside the city. You’d have round-the-clock protection, and they won’t get anywhere near you. It would disrupt your life, but it’s only a few weeks.”

“I’d love to avoid that option.” Karen said sternly. “I am in the middle of a big story and I can’t exactly drop it and pass it off to the next person.”

 _Not to mention, taking weeks off could mean losing my job altogether_ , she thought.

She fluctuated between overly-optimistic and completely pessimistic for the last week. Today it was pessimistic.  

“It’s my favorite option, but I knew you wouldn’t like it, so I’ve come up with another idea.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I have some friends in the superhero community—“

Her eyebrows narrowed. “I already _hate_ where this is going." Optimist Karen would think about all the opportunities for face time with people she admired, along with the possibility for interviews. But she wasn't here right now. 

“—And they are very good at protecting people,” he finished. “They’d be watching you round the clock, and they _can_ blend in.”

“I feel like we’re making a really big deal about this, Mr. Nelson. I’m just trying to get by here, not cause a scene. I’ll take a bulletproof car to work and make sure I’m safe on interviews. If you want a protective detail on me, fine, but, I’m really not worried about…”

“That is not enough, Ms. Page. The last time we hired a service, we lost a witness. I’m not willing to do that again.”

That was a rude awakening.

“Oh.”

Foggy jumped back into, "everything will be ok," mode.

“I’ve been using Heroes for Hire for over a year and they are more than capable… You are going to live your life and they’ll be the right fit, I promise.” He smiled a little to wide and nodded one too many times, and she noticed. 

“Whatever you say,” she stared out the window again. “So who are we talking about here?”

“Jessica Jones, Luke Cage—”

“They're much more low key—“ Karen said happily.

“Exactly.” Foggy said proudly. “They blend in. And I trust them. They’ll be rotating the day shift,” he gulped. “And Daredevil will be on the night shift. And that’s it,” he said quickly.

“Daredevil?” that was the name he’d expected to hit a cord. The man wasn’t exactly unknown. The other heroes had popped up in news stories before, but they kept a low profile.

“He’s going to be watching at _night_ , Ms. Page. People won’t notice him unless there’s an incident…”

“So I basically don’t have a choice, right? It’s round-the-clock protection with superheroes?”

He smiled. “I thought you’d jump on board.”

* * *

Karen could see the bottom of two motorcycle boots atop her desk. They moved the moment she walked into her office.

“Karen Page?” She stood up to shake the reporters hand. 

“Right. And I take it you’re Jessica—”

“Jones. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

Jessica moved to offer Karen her chair, but she waved it off and sat in the one on the other side of the desk. Jessica shrugged and sat back down.

“So,” Karen said.

“So.”

“How exactly does this work?”

“Well, I don’t know much about your situation, other than I’m not to take my eyes off of you.”

“They didn’t say _that_ …” Karen’s hopes were dashed when Jessica’s face didn’t change “ _Really_?”

“Really.”

“I don’t think it’s that important that… I’ve got Wilson Fisk after me, so, it’s not exactly sunshine and roses, but it’s not that bleak either. He’s not stupid.”

“You testify in a month?”

“27 days from now.”

“Ok. Well, Wilson Fisk isn’t someone to fuck around with.” She pursed her lips. “Sorry, I mean—“

“You don’t have to watch your language with me,” Karen chuckled. She pointed to the newsroom. “Maybe out there, but not in here.”

“Cool. Well, like I said, he’s a scary asshole, but we’re going to make sure you are safe. Luke is really good at this, and so am I. As for—”

“Daredevil?” She couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah, hornhead himself is new to this, but, I’m sure he’ll be good.”

“New? To what?”

“The Heroes for Hire thing— which I hate to call it, so I avoid that phrase usually... We’ve all done our share of helping for free, but it doesn’t pay the bills.”

“You don’t have to explain. I get it.” She didn't have an issue with Hogarth, Chao, and Benowitz paying for the services of people who could actually protect her. They needed to live too.

“Some people don’t.”

“Well, I appreciate it, really.”

“Thanks,” she said quickly. “Anyway, Karen, I plan to check the perimeter multiple times per hour, but I intend to post up outside your office for the most part, unless you can think of somewhere better. I am just as worried about the people inside this office as those who come inside."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about them," she said honestly. Jessica's face didn't change. "But if you really want to be near me most of the time, you can just hang out in here. There's no point in you being outside, right?"

"Not really, but you don't need to be hospitable, Ms. Page. I understand you don’t want us disrupting your life or drawing attention… I would want the same. I can do whatever is easiest.”

“I mean, if they get inside the office itself, we’re all kind of screwed, but, if they get back here, at least you can… I really don’t know. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”

“I’ll be fine, Karen. I’ll probably move around a bit, but I really don’t think we’ll have any intruders during the day. If they did get in the building, I’ll see them. And if they get back to your office, I can handle it. Plus, I have an escape plan if all that fails.”

Karen looked around the office and tilted her head in confusion.

“Please tell me it’s not out the window and down 20 stories.”

Jessica smiled. “Hopefully you won’t have to find out.”

* * *

Karen called her time with Jessica “protective custody,” to the P.I.’s chagrin. She noticed the smile from under her raven locks, so the phrase was not dropped. She went with Karen when she needed to pee, talk with a co-worker, get lunch, refill her coffee… Basically, anytime she needed to go anywhere she had a tail. It was a lot to a woman who appreciated alone time and independence. But it wasn’t as bad as she’d thought it’d be.

Jessica was fun to be around. She discussed her most intriguing cases as much as she could, and she let her bounce ideas off of her for the article she was writing. Karen learned quickly that her former PI’s resources cut down on her work astronomically when researching a source. But she spent the bulk of the day getting her bodyguard to answer questions whenever they came to mind.

“What if I have an interview?”

“I’ll look into them first and then go with you.” Jessica said as she looked in the mirror on the reporter's wall and picked something out of her teeth.

“What if I have a friend over?”

Jessica gave her a knowing smile, relishing at the idea of Karen having to ask her vigilante friend.

“You can talk to Devil-ears about that one.”

Karen rolled her eyes. She could sense Jessica’s enjoyment and decided to change gears.

“I was planning on going shopping next week for a dress for my birthday. Are you going to go with me for that?”

Jessica nodded and answered through gritted teeth. “ _If I have to_.”

“And will you give me advice on which one is my best chance at getting birthday action?”

The woman was pushing it. But Jessica couldn’t help but love her ability to make light of her situation and the fact that she was a sarcastic pain just like her.

“We’ll have Luke go with you for that one.” She flashed a smile, which made Karen's jaw drop in happiness before the bodyguard returned to stoic.

Karen smiled, raising her finger as she came up with another ridiculous question.

“Will he help zip me up though?”

“You have a better chance getting  _him_  to help you with that than me.”

The day went by faster than either of them expected, and Jessica walked her to her apartment and checked inside, something she told the reporter to get used to.

“What’s he like?” She was serious for the first time in hours, and Jessica decided being helpful would get her home sooner.

“Who, horns-for-brains?” Karen nodded. “He’s alright. Little preachy, kind of by-the-book murderwise—“ Karen was pretty sure her new bodyguard was baiting her, but she couldn’t help herself.

Karen chuckled. “ _Murderwise_?”

“He’s got a code. Won’t kill anyone for _any_ reason. Even if they’re trying to annoy him with ridiculous questions, or trying to drag him _shopping_ —“

“You kill me and you lose work, Jones,” Karen smiled.

“Or... I get an extended vacation.”

Karen loved that image.

“Gonna run away to the Caymans? Get some much-needed sun? It’s too hot there to wear a leather jacket, you know...”

“He’ll _really_ like it if you badger him just like this.”

“Noted.”

“He’s going to be on your roof in 20 minutes. Sometimes he’s late, but I’ll hang around downstairs until then. It's good to sweep the area as much as possible.”

She became serious again. “Oh— ok.”

“Something tells me you’ll get along great. He annoys the shit out of me too.”

* * *

The level of awkwardness Karen felt while waiting on her roof for a red-suited ninja was not lost on her. But when she considered all of the aggravating parts of needing a “protection squad,” getting to meet the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen was not one of them.

He landed right behind her and she turned around quickly.

“Hi.”

“I’m guessing you’re Karen Page.” He stuck his hand out she shook it, trying to hide a giggle with her other hand. Reporter Karen never giggled over meeting a celebrity. But she wasn't there right then.

He smiled, and she tilted her head, thinking of how handsome he looked.

“Did you just giggle, Ms. Page?”

She winced. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little starstruck.”

“Starstruck? By me?”

“I mean, yeah. You never get that from people?”

“Never.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re the hero of Hell’s Kitchen. People love you.”

“Love me? That’s the term you choose to use?”

She shook her head. He seemed to be genuinely confused. Daredevil had been protecting Hell’s Kitchen for well over a year, and most people knew who he was. For him to be unaware of his presence as a force for good to residents was unfathomable.

“You must know I’ve been assigned a few articles about you… Well I guess it is a pretty big assumption that you’ve read them or even heard about me, but, nevertheless... I’ve talked to a great deal of people and the ones who weren’t in jail really appreciated the service you do for the city.”

He smiled for a millisecond at her praise. To her, the information was practically known by everyone— at least in her circle. She wondered if he’d gotten different feedback.

“I don’t really have time to speak with people I… It just sounds like an exaggeration is all.”

“It’s not.” She said firmly. “Do you want to have this conversation indoors? It’s pretty hot out here and I’ve barely had time to decompress from work.”

“Sure,” he nodded. “Lead the way.”

* * *

Karen was already getting used to her lack of privacy when it came to her home.

Jessica was more methodical. Karen had followed her from room to room as she checked under the bed, behind the shower curtain, and inside each closet to make sure that any hiding place was covered. Daredevil was different. The way he swept the room looked more like a scan to take everything in. He didn’t seem to feel the need to check each potential hiding place, which, she assumed, was due to the fact that Jessica had just been in Karen’s apartment. She left him alone in the last room and moved to the kitchen as he continued his “tour.”

He seemed to be happy with his inspection, a look of contentment on his face as he emerged from her bedroom.

“Do you want anything to drink, or….” She opened her pretty much empty fridge. “Are you hungry?”

“This your first time with a bodyguard, Ms. Page?”

He seemed more relaxed than when he’d arrived, choosing to stand by her kitchen island as she filled up two glasses of water.

“Please, call me Karen. And, it might be a surprise, _given my notoriety_ ,” she said sarcastically, “but, this is the first time I’ve had threats against my life.”

His body stiffened and she noticed. “What, too cavalier? I promise, I’m taking this seriously. I didn’t even want any… I didn’t want this whole 24-hour protection thing, but, I guess it’s not worth it to risk…”

“Your life?”

“My life. Yeah.” She handed him a water and he took a gulp. “I didn’t expect my name to get out. I just wanted to do the right thing.”

His smile made her melt. The next words made the situation worse.

“I have read your articles, you know.” He licked his lip nervously as she looked down at her water.

“You have?” She tried her best to contain her excitement.

“I have. I actually read most of your stories before you started covering vigilantes, and I’ve probably read every one since. You’re a really great writer, Karen….” He thumbed at his water glass and looked up. “Maybe I’m a little starstruck too.”

“Wow.” She laughed. “That has never been said.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll hear it much more often. You’re making a name for yourself in this city too.”

“Be careful, Daredevil. You keep buttering me up like this and I might just fall in love with you.”

She couldn’t see it, but he was definitely blushing underneath the mask.

“Don’t worry, I'm only joking.” She didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, but he was incredibly charming, and hearing such a statement made her forget the situation for a moment. She stiffened up and became interview Karen with haste. “Ok, on to business.”

“Of course,” he chuckled.

“They told me you’ll be covering all the night shifts.”

“That’s correct.”

She thought she’d gotten the wrong information, but he didn’t seem to think that was abnormal. “So you’re not going to have a _single_ night off for a month?”

Karen’t had been known to be a workaholic herself, but that seemed excessive.

“It’s kind of a regular thing with me anyway,”

“Well, ok then,” she laughed. “Good to know.”

“Is that it?”

“Not even close. You have someplace to be?”

“Oh, you know, not really.” He shrugged as got more comfortable in his stance. “Just _protecting you.”_

She smiled.

“Well this is still on topic. Want to face the doorway so you can see? I’ll only think it’s _slightly_ strange to talk to your back. I’m adaptable.”

Matt was beginning to enjoy his charge. He wanted to put up a professional front, but she was completely the opposite of what he’d expected. He gave her a half-smile. “I’ve got things under control for now. But wouldn’t you just move to the other side if I was watching the door?”

“I feel like that’s asking a lot,” she said in mock seriousness.

“You’re the client,” he laughed.

“Great. Professional,” his mouth dropped open for second. He hadn’t smiled as much in quite some time. She continued. “So, moving on… I’m not a good cook.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“So, that means I go out most nights. Or I order takeout.”

“I expected as much.” He didn’t want to insult her, but he could tell her kitchen was pretty bare. “I hear you’re pretty busy.”

“From whom, exactly?”

Caught in a lie already.

“Jessica.” Thank God she was still there when he’d arrived.

He moved to the sink and started to wash his cup.

“Huh.” Karen said. “Well, anyway, I can hang around here for the next few days; make things easier, but, I’ve lived on ramen for long periods of time before and it no longer suits me. So what exactly happens when I decide to go somewhere?”

He placed his clean glass in the strainer and leaned against the counter.

“Well, hopefully we can plan ahead for that, but if it’s unexpected, you can just call or text me—“

“Where are you going to be?”

“On your roof.”

“On my roof? All night?”

“Until someone picks you up.”

“What if it’s raining?”

“I’ll bring an umbrella.”

“Or snowing?”

“In July?”

“You never know.”

He smiled. “I figured it was easiest if I let you live your life. Did you really think I was going to invade your home?”

“I wouldn’t call it invading, but, yeah. Kinda.”

“I know this situation isn’t ideal, but this isn’t supposed to derail your life. At least not too much.”

“Well, you do whatever you prefer, but, I don’t mind if you stay indoors. I don’t have a tv, but you can use my laptop or whatever to keep yourself entertained. Or nap on the couch—“

“I think I’ll stay awake. You know, just in case someone tries to—“

“Break in and murder me?” she chuckled. “It’s good that you think ahead.”

“I try.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karen and Daredevil share Chinese food and discuss dating logistics. She learns about her nighttime protector’s dating life.

The schedule was easy to remember. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays: Jones duty. Tuesday, Friday, Saturday: Luke Cage duty. Daredevil every night no matter what.

Her protectors enjoyed her company from the start, though they kept that to themselves. Karen wasn’t like their previous charges. For one thing, she was always prepared with brain fuel.

She knew that Luke liked cream in his coffee.

Jessica liked it black, with room at the top. She started by hiding the fact that she added a little whiskey, but she learned quickly that Karen liked people to be upfront with her and did it in front of her. She was pretty sure the reporter added a little more coffee each time to make it less easy for the P.I. to add alcohol, so she started weaning herself off as much as she could.

Daredevil liked one sugar and one cream and he almost always forgot to eat before coming over. It took a day or two for him to take her up on her offer of takeout food, which she always ordered extra of.

He wasn’t sure if this was normal, or if it was just for him. He didn’t ask.

They sat on her roof eating Chinese food in some old lawn furniture that had been abandoned since before she’d moved in. Karen’s roof didn’t belong to just her, and she was always worried that someone would come up and find him. He didn’t seem to be too worried about that possibility.

“Shit, I completely forgot,” she chewed her remaining bite, realizing how rude she sounded. He never cared.

She made him smile.

“I’m sorry?”

She swallowed her bite. “I have a date tomorrow. Should I cancel?”

Matt shook his head. “Of course not. I just need to know the logistics.” He took a drink of his soda.

“Logistics? Like where I may be _sleeping_ tomorrow night? _Wow_.”

He choked on his drink. She always tried to pull the rug out from under him. This time it worked.

“Karen Page you did that on purpose.”

“I did.” she smiled. “But it was an honest question. You’d need to know that, right? Like I have to be prepared?”

“You should always be prepared in that situation.”

She had to tell herself to stop staring at his perfect grin.

“Cute.”

“Thank you. And like I said, you should live your life. You can go wherever you want for that kind of activity, but, I will say, _here_ is preferable.”

“Dear god, I can’t believe I’m having this conversation.”

“Me neither.”

“Fine, if the mood strikes, we’ll come back here. As far as dinner goes, we usually go out, so, I can come up with a list of options and you can pick the place that sounds best, watching-wise.”

“That would be good.”

“So you’ll be… near? Or on a roof or something?”

“I have ways of staying hidden. But I won’t go into the restaurant with you. It’s good that you and I will be the only people who know where you’re going. That way nobody else can divulge information to unnecessary parties.”

“You mean that way _he_ won’t give away my location,” she laughed.

“You’d be surprised at how much people talk.”

She nodded. “You’re right. I got _you_ to talk a lot faster than I’d expected.”

“I resent that! I need to maintain a level of mystery, Page. I built this reputation from the ground up.”

She thought about it for a minute. They had several conversations over the course of a few days, and he definitely spoke honestly, but she had been careful not to put him in a bad position by asking too much. He asked her more about herself than anything now that she thought about it.

“You know, you might be right. What do I _really_ know about you?”

“You know plenty. You can ask me almost anything really… ”

She handed him the container of chow mein and he took a bite.

“Those are dangerous words to say to a reporter.”

“Are you going to interview me, Ms. Page?”

“Don’t tempt me.” She always had questions for him, and he had joked on their second day that Daredevil didn’t give interviews. Ever. But he usually gave her information nonetheless.

“You get more out of Luke and Jessica?” He inquired. He didn’t know much about the protector-protectee relationship, but he had a feeling it wasn’t sharing egg rolls and stepping as close to the line between friendly and flirting as they had been doing for days.

Karen Page was good at getting people to lower their walls.

Both Luke and Jessica had allowed her to bring them out of their shells, but her relationship with Daredevil felt different.

“I don’t know how to describe it. Each of you has your own… quirks, but I still feel like I’ve gotten to know them, I guess?” She took a sip of her soda and sighed. “Maybe it feels more personal because I actually know their _names_.”

He was starting to get annoyed with that fact himself. There were a multitude of reasons he hadn’t divulged his most important secret. Well, _one_ of his most important secrets...

Each day with her made it more difficult to fight that instinct.

She hoped she wasn’t making him reconsider, no matter how much she wanted to know. “But that’s ok, right? I don’t want you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I guess it’s just in my nature to pry. I’m working on it.”

She smiled at her masked defender, who seems to be fighting something.

“What if we start small, Page?”

“Small?”

“I trust your judgment. Off the record as usual.”

“Damn it,” she joked. “Ok, I’ll avoid the questions that have been eating at me and start with something easy.”

“Thank God.”

“How goes the dating life of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen?”

He felt himself turn red as she caught him off-guard. “ _That’s_ your opening question?” He chuckled.

“I’m a damn good reporter,” she smiled. “And it _is_ on topic. You need to know everything about my dating life, I get a little insight into yours.”

_Of course she had a valid defense._

“Fair enough.”

“I’m going to assume you are single, considering you’re fine with just disappearing every night for a month. So, when was your last relationship?”

He finished chewing his bite, which drove her crazy.

“A long time ago.”

“So you haven’t dated anyone since donning the mask?”

“This is becoming my least favorite interview ever.” She could tell he didn’t mean it. He was smiling from ear to ear.

“ _You said you’ve never been interviewed before_!”

“I said _Daredevil_ hasn’t been interviewed before.”

There it was: a small piece of information about his private life that she couldn’t ignore. He knew he was in trouble. She lifted her chin like she had everything she needed and dove right in.

“So you _have_ been interviewed, just not as _Daredevil_? Was it for work? What’s your profession? Was it for _the Bulletin_! Who was the reporter?”

His sides started to hurt from laughing. “Not a chance, Page!”

“It was _me,_ wasn’t it! It all makes sense now!”

“Lucky for me, it was _not,_ ,” he laughed.

“I figured. I’d remember that jawline.” She changed the subject quickly. “I almost _had you_ though.”

“You aren’t as stealthy as you think.”

“Fine, answer my first question.”

He took a breath. “No, I haven’t dated anyone since becoming Daredevil.”

“Oh, no, you aren’t one of _those_ superheroes…”

“What are you asking me, Page?”

“The kind that’s like,” her voice became deep and husky, “‘ _I don’t have time for attachments; I must protect my city no matter the cost_ ’ or whatever ridiculousness.”

“This is so much worse than I… I’m ready to answer questions about my real identity now. Do you want my real name? Place of birth? Blood type?”

“You’re not getting off that easy!”

“You are ruthless!”

“We can stop if you want. You just have to say, _Karen, I was wrong. I can’t handle the easiest, most basic questions…_ ”

“This interview is over.” He said throwing his hands in mock aggravation. “Find a new nighttime protector.”

She grabbed the hand closest to her and brought it gently back down to the tabletop. “You’d never leave me, Daredevil. You enjoy my company too much.”

She looked at their hands for a moment before letting go and grabbing her drink.

“You really want to know?”

“I do. But only if you want to tell me.”

“I haven’t made a pact to stop dating or anything, I just… I'm not great at multitasking, I guess? I don't know. I haven't dated a lot of people in general. When I started doing this, I didn't really change my lifestyle all that much. I was too focused during school and my internship didn’t allow much time and… “

He looked torn between revealing key pieces of information about himself and keeping his personal life personal. Karen touched his hand. “You don't need to explain. I get the need for anonymity. As much as I wish it weren’t the case, I understand how much of a conflict of interest this relationship is. Protecting a reporter is kind of the last job you'd ever want.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” His smile was genuine, and she wanted so much to see what his eyes looked like. She brushed the thought away. That wasn’t going to happen.

“So this boyfriend of yours… you two been dating long?”

“Turning the tables on me? You think I don’t know what you’re doing there?”

“I resent the implication.”

“Uh-huh,” she chuckled. “Will and I have been dating for three months and… I wouldn’t exactly call him a _boyfriend_.”

“What would you call him?”

“A guy who is very careful _not_ to call me his girlfriend.”

He snorted. “That doesn’t sound like a thing.”

“It is a very real type.” She laughed. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about men in this city… Men in _general_ , actually, those kinds of terms scare the shit out of them.” She shrugged. “It’s just as well. I don’t really mind it.”

He wanted to ask her if she actually had feelings for the man, but that was not the right question for a woman he was being paid to protect.

“So how does _that_ work? ‘This is, um… Karen Page, my… friend I sometimes hold hands with’? Or are there also no public displays of affection?”

“Wow. So close, there. He doesn’t really introduce me to anyone actually.” she backtracked immediately. “I mean, I haven’t really _met_ anyone yet. I don’t think he’s ashamed or anything, but, we both work a lot and we don’t see each other more than a few nights most weeks. I don’t know. I’m still trying to put a finger on what it is. What _I_ want.”

“Of course he’s not ashamed of you. How could he be?” He couldn’t help himself. He could tell she was blushing, which made him do the same thing. “But you must not be very attached if you don’t mind this arrangement?”

He regretted asking the question immediately, but her quick answer made him feel a lot better. “Definitely not.”

She covered her mouth at her admission.

“I mean, I don’t know _yet._ I haven’t felt that way in a… in a really long time. Maybe ever.” She shrugged. “I might be one of those people who doesn’t belong with anyone. I enjoy alone time, I don’t really get jealous. I get wrapped up in work for days on end sometimes...” She dipped her egg roll into some sweet and sour sauce. “I’m not ruling him out, I just… we haven’t spent a ton of time together. It’s hard to learn anything about a person in short moments, and that’s all we really have.”

Matt nodded. He hadn’t had much luck dating either, but he was learning plenty in the small windows of time he had with her.

“I don’t think any of that makes you unfit for companionship. I’m sure there’s someone out there who would be happy to spend whatever moments they could get with you and enjoy their own independence as well.”

“One can only hope.” She said wistfully. She couldn’t help but think that maybe there was a person she’d miss like crazy when she was away from them for hours. Someone who’d make her forget work on her days off. Someone whose company she truly enjoyed. She hadn’t encountered that yet with any of the people she’d dated. “I can’t believe I just said all that out loud. You must think I’m… using you for free therapy.”

He smiled. “I don't mind at all. I like talking to you.”

“Well, you're a sweetheart.”

“You’re not so bad either.” He licked his lip again, a nervous tick that she’d definitely noticed. She looked away. She always felt like he was staring right through her, even when he was the one giving away how he felt.

She grabbed his hand as it reached toward her and lifted it into the air.

”Damn it, Daredevil! You take one more egg roll from my plate and we’re going to have a problem!”

He pulled his hand away and acted like he couldn’t believe she’d accuse him, of such a thing. She burst into laughter

“Let me guess, ‘things you never thought you’d say in your lifetime?’” He asked.

“I mean that was on the _dream_ list, but…”

“You can say it again if you split that with me…” he tried.

“Not worth it,” she said as she took a huge bite and continued once she was finished chewing. “So you have another job _and_ this? When do you sleep?”

He sobered up immediately. She didn’t realize that was a touchy subject.

“I'm taking a break from the other thing,” he sighed. “I screwed up pretty badly and my partner… It's a lot to ask someone to have faith in you when you come into work with black eyes and broken ribs.”

Karen hated that idea. “You get beat up that much?”

“Not since I took _this_ job,” he smiled.

“You’re welcome,” she chuckled. “But this might be a bad thing. Sitting on my roof every night is going to get you out of shape.”

“Eating all this takeout is going to make me get out of shape.”

“Something tells me you don’t cook much for yourself either.” She remembered his comment the night they met. “And you've come over with an empty stomach nearly every night. I can’t let that stand.”

“You don’t have to take care of me, Page.”

She shrugged. “That’s what you’re doing for me.”

He tilted his head and she noticed his hand twitch for a moment, like he wanted to reach out to her, but fought the urge. He changed the subject instead.

“We’ll work out the kinks, but tomorrow is going to be just fine, I promise. You’ll have a chance to take a break from worrying for once. And I’ll be close enough that I can stop anyone from getting near you.”

She smiled as she wondered if that included her date as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karen goes on her first date under protective supervision.

Matt Murdock tried not to listen to Karen Page’s date. He stood in an alley next to the Italian restaurant they’d agreed on, listening for any unwanted visitors like he was supposed to, and luckily there were none to be found. But to do that, he also needed to locate her every now and then.

She didn’t expect much privacy, but she didn’t realize just how much he could hear.

“So how's the whole bodyguard thing going?”

A server shattered a glass in the dish pit as two chefs argued over a ticket in the kitchen. Karen and Will couldn’t hear that, though.

“It's going fine,” she said with a smile. She perused the wine list and settled on a Riesling.

“Really, beautiful? You can tell me the truth.”

Matt made his judgment about Will in the short time between picking her up and traveling to the restaurant. The guy seemed to be put-together and gave off a nice enough vibe at the start of their date. He picked her up at her door, complimented her, and put her right into a cab. It made things less easy for the man who ran everywhere, and the heat was terrible, but he still beat them to the restaurant.

“Really. They're all very nice; they don't seem to mind being forced to hang out with me. And I feel safe.”

“You _hang out_ with them?” There was something to his tone that flipped a switch in Matt. He cringed at the smell of his cologne and didn’t question why he seemed so smug when he’d barely spoken.

“Well, I mean… I guess I wouldn't call it _that_ , but, we see each other pretty frequently. They kind of need to be close by.”

“Wow. That sounds intrusive.”

She shrugged. “It’s not that bad.”

Their waiter delivered the wine and Karen warmed up as she took a sip. Matt tried not to think about just how wonderful she always smelled and instead focused on diners waiting outside for a table. Not a single threat nearby, thankfully.

“And is it true? Is he really watching you right now?”

“You can say the name, just, _quietly_.”

He chose not to. “I didn’t see him when I picked you up.”

“He’s around.”

“Where?” He looked behind him. “How do you know?”

She pulled out her phone and showed him her texts.

_I’m here. There are two entrances, one in the back, one in the front._

_I’m in the perfect place to watch them both. Have fun._

“Have fun?” he chuckled. “That’s sweet. Why is he listed as ‘Nighttime Therapist’?

She laughed. “I gave them all names. Luke is ‘Teddy Bear,’ Jess is ‘Girl Talk—’”

Matt had already laughed at his own contact name, but Jessica’s was too much.

“Girl Talk?”

“She hates it.”

He laughed again in his quiet alley. He didn’t notice just how much she made him smile until he’d get home every morning. His cheeks were constantly sore.

“Are you trying to _antagonize_ these bodyguards, Karen?” Will laughed. “I don’t know why I expected anything less.”

Karen smiled. “Jessica thrives on sarcasm, and I love her, so, she’s fair game. Luke, is… well, he’s _exactly_ what he’s labeled as. It always makes him laugh when I call him that.”

“And 'nighttime therapist?’” he asked.

“Oh…” Matt could hear her heartbeat increase at the sound of his fake name and instantly turned red. “We just had a conversation where I, maybe revealed too much, and I— I don’t know, that’s what I came up with.” She bit her lip as a server refilled her wine glass. The other option was “perfectly chiseled jaw,” or “the most gorgeous ass I’ve ever seen,” but she wasn’t about to tell anyone that.

Will didn’t seem to care much about her first two defenders, but he definitely noticed the change in his date. “Revealed _too much_ , huh?”

Of course, he couldn’t ignore that admission.

“Just about… being a little freaked out about the whole situation. He’s very protective, and he's a sweetheart. They’ve each made me feel better in their own way.”

Matt listened to the perimeter again, back inside the restaurant to the other guests and finding his way back to her heartbeat. She had already lied once. He really wanted to know why. Her date also seemed to become jealous, if he was reading him correctly. It made him secretly happy even though he wasn’t sure why.

“You know, if you are _this_ scared, I could come by more often…”

Matt cringed. _That_ would change things.

“I thought you had a pretty busy month,” she said. It was perfectly reasonable for people who were only half-dating to be busy, but ever since their conversation the night before, Matt had wondered how anyone could be so busy they didn’t want to spend every free moment with her.

“Well, if my girlfriend is freaked out, I’m not too great of a guy if I don’t come by and make her feel better.”

Her eyes opened wide.

“Is that so surprising, beautiful? Have I been _that_ distant?”

“No, I—” she took another gulp of her wine and ignored the part of that sentence that freaked her out. “I don’t want you to change your life just because of me, Will. I’m doing alright, _really_.”

“Needing to be comforted by a man in tights you hardly know is not ‘doing alright,’ Karen.” Matt noticed her turning toward the door she assumed he was standing behind and it was like they were looking right at each other. He wanted to come inside and hold her hand and tell her he’d take care of everything, but Will kept droning on as he scrolled through his phone. “I can try to move some things around. Maybe I can push my trip to Seattle. I’ve been missing home anyway.”

She nodded, unsure of how she felt about his sudden need to “comfort her,” and his way of describing her protector. “I do _know_ him, Will. He’s a good man... But I’d love to see you more often.”

He sighed. “I really hope you’re doing ok with all of this. I can’t imagine getting death threats over something so… These bodyguards are good?”

Matt glared as he thought about the fact that Will already knew that information and hadn’t offered to stick around sooner. It was official. He couldn’t stand the guy.

“Yeah. I mean, you’ve read about Daredevil, he’s great at what he does. Jessica and Luke are very thorough as well.”

“That’s good. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“It won’t, don’t worry.”

* * *

Matt could hear them on their cab ride home. He beat them back to her apartment a minute earlier and waited on his favorite perch just in case he needed to drop down quickly.

She knew the rules ahead of time. If you’re going to talk, go inside the building. Stay away from windows and doors. Say his name and he’ll come running.

Karen pulled her wallet out to pay the cab driver, but Will insisted that he take care of it. Judging by the amount of time it took him to pay the driver, he had one too many drinks. She was getting nervous, and Matt was almost ready to swoop down and drop a twenty through the window and call it good.

She already had her keys out, making a beeline for the door the moment he got out of the cab.

“So quick to leave?”

“Just get her inside _already_ ,” Matt found himself saying out loud. He took a breath and reminded himself of what he already knew. There was nobody within a ten block radius that was after her. It didn’t seem to make him feel better.

“No, I.. I’m not supposed to… Can we just talk inside?”

“Of course, gorgeous.”

Karen took longer to unlock the door than she normally did, flipping the light switch quickly and looking around corners in her apartment building. It was subtle enough for him not to notice.

 _He’s probably already here._ She thought.  _You’re safe._

Then she saw Daredevil's sign that he'd made sure her apartment was empty. Her childhood teddy bear sat on the kitchen island wearing a pair of floral sunglasses that Daredevil had worn over his red eye coverings for a laugh. She sighed in relief, using every lock on her door before putting the slice of cheesecake she’d gotten for him in the fridge.

Will made himself comfortable on the couch.

“Oh, I made a reservation at that rooftop place you keep mentioning. For your birthday?”

Karen popped out of the kitchen, a big smile on her face.

“Really!”

He patted the seat next to her and she obliged him.

“Anything for my girl. It wasn’t what I expected. No dress code or anything. I’m surprised they even took reservations.”

“Sounds perfect.”

He smiled. “You’re full of surprises, Karen.”

Matt tried not to cringe. He really was getting the mileage out of calling her “his.” The fact that this annoyed him was completely lost on him, however.

“So, what are the rules? Am I allowed to stay the night?”

“My rules or theirs?”

He pushed her hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek softly. “Both.”

She smiled. “You can stay the night.”

“I’m glad.” He kissed her on the lips again. “I wouldn’t want you to…” one more kiss. “Have to be _lonely_ as well as scared.”

She opened her mouth to say “I’m not lonely,” but he kissed her again, and she gave in easily.

Will pulled away and looked around the dark room. “He’s isn’t… _inside_ , right?”

“Who?” she said dreamily.

“The dude with the horns.”

She pulled away to think. “Oh. No, he isn’t.” She kissed him again.

“So is he nearby?”

Karen tried to hide the fact that she was starting to get annoyed.

“Why are you so interested?”

“Well, I’ve never had someone lurk as I kiss my girlfriend and call it ‘protection.’

Her next words were tinged with poison. “ _That’s not what he’s doing_.”

He didn’t pick up on it. “And what if I pulled her onto my lap? Is that going to upset him?”

She felt like she was watching the scene from the outside as a woman she didn’t know shook her head and let him pull her onto his lap. She was visibly in shock. He didn’t care.

“He's on the roof,” she said quietly.

“Can he hear us?”

Matt took a guilty deep breath.

“I don't think so.”

“But you don't _know_.”

She snapped back into it. “Who has that kind of hearing, Will? How about I call him down here so that you can have this conversation with _him?”_

 _Dear God, please no,_ Matt thought.

“You don’t know though, Karen. That’s the point.” He kissed her cheek like he was proud of the fact that he had proven himself right. Then he changed gears and kissed her bare shoulder. “What if I wanted to unzip this dress? Would he jump in here and try to start something?”

 _You bet._ Matt thought angrily.

Karen wasn’t feeling it. She stopped his hand from fumbling with her zipper. “Do we have to keep talking about him like this?”

Will took his hands off her back and became serious.

“It’s just _strange_ , Karen.”

“What’s so strange? He’s on my roof right now. We have a system worked out. I tell him the details of where I'm going and when. He's always around.”

“Sounds creepy.”

Matt changed his mind. He was ready and willing to have a conversation with this asshole. He took a breath and tried his best to clear his head. He was right in the middle of another situation where he shouldn’t be listening. He knew she was safe, and he’d only listened to make sure she saw his signal. He knew she had long ago, however.

After all, he didn’t know this guy, and he was certainly not reading her cues. _Any_ man could go down a road that made a woman uncomfortable, or worse, he told himself.

She was getting annoyed. “It's not…. Like I _said_ , I like him. I _trust_ him.”

“Sounds like I've got competition.”

“You don't.” Her heart fluttered, and Matt’s jaw dropped in shock. But he was filled with anger when he heard what came next.

“You’re right. You’re probably just a job to him anyway.”

Her eyes opened wide as she tried to hold back her own indignation.

She was in a tough spot. She didn’t want to admit that she cared about the people protecting her, since it was clearly making things worse. But she wanted to. She _needed_ to.

He beat her to the punch.

“Sorry sweetie, I didn't mean it like that.”

She sighed. “Yeah,” she said sternly. “That was—”

His phone rang and they both looked down at his pocket. He looked up at her and pleaded for a moment, ignoring the look on her face and answering anyway.

She shifted so he could get up and he went outside her apartment.

A few minutes later he returned and found her putting dishes away.

“I’m sorry, Kare, I have to go in…”

“No problem,” she said without turning around. Matt could feel the sting from her words. He figured there was no way Will could miss that. He was wrong.

He grabbed his keys from her table and smiled. “I’m pretty busy this week, but we’re still on for next Sunday, right? And Thursday of course?”

She turned around and nodded. “I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

“Perfect. Have a good night.”

Karen put the remaining dishes away quietly before moving to the door to go upstairs. She paused.

She wanted to talk to Daredevil, but she fought the urge. It wasn’t right to involve him in her sadness.

So she sent two texts instead of a call like she knew he preferred.

_Date went well. I’m going to bed. SW window is unlocked if you want to chill in front of the fan._

_As always, have at anything in the fridge._

He heard her sigh as she sent both texts. He responded quickly with, “ _is everything alright?”_

Matt heard the vibrations as she typed out, “ _Starting to think this “alone” thing has its perks,”_ and the subsequent deletion of each letter and space. Then his phone buzzed and he listened to her text.

_I’m fine. Thanks for making it possible for me to go out tonight._

He wondered what she’d originally typed, but he knew there was no explaining how he'd known she’d changed her mind. He sent a text that said _“Anytime”_ and leaned against the brick wall.

Karen got into her pajamas, listening carefully for his entrance, but it didn’t come. She climbed into bed and looked at the ceiling.

She was a job. She knew that.

She needed to remind herself of that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke and Karen have their first scare while getting lunch. Daredevil does a bad job of hiding his worry when he's informed of the afternoon's events.

“So, how’d it go?”

Luke Cage walked between his favorite reporter and the street on their way to lunch.

“How’d what— oh, the date?”

“Yeah. Did everything work out? Was M—… Was the whole Double-D thing a success?”

She smiled. “We calling him that now?”

“I just heard how it sounded. Do not tell him, please.”

“ _But Luke_! He’d _love_ to know that you have a nickname for him! It’s cute.”

“I swear, Page, you are just _mean_ sometimes.”

She grabbed his arm and hugged it. “I’ll be good, Luke, I promise.”

Karen opened the door to a sandwich shop and ordered for him while he scoped out the area. She already knew the things he liked - anything Italian, extra pickles, extra peppers. Large coke and Jalapeño chips if they had them.

He picked a booth away from the windows, barely fitting inside as she pulled the table closer to her so that he had some space and continued their conversation.

“The Dare— the _thing_ went fine,” she said. She never had a name to call him in public. “Our friend wasn’t noticed and I” she gestured to her person, “am still alive.”

“Good.“ Luke said happily. “So what’d you guys do?”

 _Had a decent dinner. Let him insult me and my friends. Argued._ She thought. She decided to leave out the cringeworthy details.

“We went to that new Italian place you told me about— which was good. Their cheesecake was amaz—” She paused for a moment as she remembered the fact that she didn’t end up giving Daredevil the slice she’d gotten him. “It was amazing.”

“Good to know.” Luke noticed her change in demeanor. “Something bothering you?”

Bothering me?” she smiled sadly and saw that he'd clearly noticed. His face said “spill.”

“I don’t know, Luke, I… This is just interesting to navigate.”

“Are people giving you a hard time about having us around? We can adjust. We’ve done it before.”

She smiled. “No, I think things are going fine. Ellison doesn’t seem to mind, and my co-workers are more worried about _me_ than anything, so I don’t think they’re a problem. I just… Maybe I’ve seen too many 90’s bodyguard-turned friend movies…”

“How many are there, exactly?”

She was surprised at how quickly a list came to mind.

“First Kid, the Terminator, Guarding Tess,”

“I haven’t heard of most of those.”

“Terminator 2, The Princess Diaries, the _Bodyguard_! _Really_???” Nothing seemed to register with her protector and she couldn’t believe he had a business that specialized in such a thing.

“Remember the whole ‘prison thing’ we talked about?”

“Oh yeah.” she nodded as she took a sip of her soda. “For a second I just figured it was a _generational_ thing…”

His mouth dropped open in mock shock. “Don’t go there, Page.”

She smiled. They had already had the conversation about their nearly-ten year age difference and the fact that Karen was sure that a young Luke could have babysat her when she was younger.

“Well, anyway, I don’t know how to say this without coming off as extremely pathetic—”

He cocked his head. “ _Was Jessica mean to you_?” He smiled and she was reminded of just how beautiful the man’s teeth were.

 _“Yeah right_! She _loves_ me.”

He laughed. “She say that?”

“Don’t act so surprised! And, no,” she laughed. “But I’m going with my gut here, and it’s right, I promise you.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

She nodded and smiled at her teddy bear of a protector.

“But this is strange, right? We spend hours together, all of us, and I... I like all of you.”

“But me the most?” he asked with yet another smile.

“Of course, Luke. Everyone is well aware that you’re my favorite.”

“Good.” he joked. “And like I’ve said multiple times, I like being around you too, Karen.”

Karen smiled half-heartedly. “I don’t know, Luke. This has all been an adjustment, but it has gone pretty well if I’m being honest. I figured it was because…” She drifted off and didn’t complete her thought. “This isn’t my life; the Heroes for Hire thing will end in a couple of weeks, and… Last night my date called me a ‘job’ to you guys, and I don’t know why it’s bugging me so much.”

Luke cocked his head. He could think of one reason someone would say something like that. “Sounds like someone’s a little threatened.”

Karen wondered if that could be the reason. Will hadn’t exactly been overjoyed at the idea of her protection squad, even though his biggest issue seemed to be with Daredevil and not the others. She hated the fact that she was starting to believe him.

“ _You think_? I mean, I know, it _is_ a fact. You guys _are_ being paid to be around me...”

Karen drifted off as she watched him look past her at a man who was hanging especially close to their general area. Luke touched her hand and she scooted further inside the booth. Someone dropped their sandwiches off and he didn’t say anything.

The man backed off, but Luke nodded carefully at Karen and she made a beeline for the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She tried and failed to listen for any sign that something was going on. After five minutes, two hard knocks and one soft one startled her.

She opened the door, seeing two paper bags in his hand and a look that said, “we need to go.”

They hopped into a cab and took the long way to get to her office, with Luke looking behind them at every turn. When he was sure they were safe, they went inside the building as if nothing had happened.

Karen sighed as the elevator doors closed and Luke picked right back up where he’d left off.

“Calling you a job is pretty terrible, Karen,” Luke tried. “But we have a soft spot for you, blondie. We may be looking forward to the day this is over, but it has nothing to do with no longer seeing _you_.” She tilted her head against his shoulder and he patted her shoulder. “I just want you safe is all.”

* * *

Matt arrived at Karen’s apartment on time, waving Luke off and making his way to her door. He knocked hard twice, soft once.

She opened her door with a smile. “Hello, handsome.”

“I love that kind of a greeting.” He chuckled as he took his gloves off and sat them on the entry table. “It might change if you see my face, though.”

“Ooh, let’s find out!” She laughed. It was never going to be that easy, but her plans to wear him down would not be thwarted for anything.

“By the way, Daredevil, I completely forgot, I got you cheesecake on my date last night! It was the best I’ve ever had, and believe me, this girl loves cheesecake.”

He smiled and walked to the kitchen with her. “You didn’t have to do that!”

She closed the fridge and turned to see him with a fork already twirling in his fingers.

“Oh, I _didn’t_ did I?”

Karen had started to label the very distinct faces her incredibly handsome red-horned friend displayed in the three inches of space she was granted from chin to cheek with that stupid mask on. This one was “innocent puppy dog.”

“I mean, it’d be rude to turn you down, right?”

“Right,” she smiled. She wondered if he realized he had her wrapped around his little finger.

Matt sat at her table and opened the container with one hand as he pulled her chair back at the same time. She sat down without noticing and nervously rubbed the back of her neck.

“I know we didn’t really talk last night, but…” He looked up in anticipation, a bite in his mouth. She tried to hide a giggle at her superhero with a small piece of cheesecake on his lip.

He finished the bite. “What?”

She pointed at his lip, but he didn’t do anything, causing her to take it upon herself to wipe it off and lick the remnant from her finger. “That was adorable.” He licked his lip slowly in the place she had just placed her thumb, wondering how dopey his smile was before putting another bite in his mouth as she acted like what she did was completely normal. “I didn’t get to ask… Was there any unusual activity last night? Better yet, has there been any unusual activity _any_ night?”

He swallowed. “What do you mean by _unusual activity_?”

“Oh, um, Luke and I went to lunch and he…” Matt was wearing his “restrained and reticent” face as he waited patiently while she stumbled over her thoughts. “I think he _noticed_ _something_? We have this signal where I go into _the closest confined space with a lock_ ,” she said in her most serious version of his voice, “and this was the first time he gave it to me… and then we left and took the food to go. I’m sure it was nothing, I just… I was wondering if any real thing happened… If you’d tell me.”

Matt sat the fork down slowly and pulled his burner out of his pocket. She reached for his hand to stop him. “I’m sure it was nothing, I… I don’t know. He wasn’t even gone for that long. He would have told you if it was something to worry about, right?”

“You're probably right, Karen.” He smiled gently, which made her feel strangely calm and incredibly confused at the same time. “But I’m going to make a quick call. Just to make _me_ feel better.”

She knew what that meant and she instantly regretted telling him anything. “Please don't make a big deal of this… I'm… I’m being ridiculous.”

He touched her hand with his, looking at her with the kindest face she’d ever seen. She didn’t have a term for it yet, but it made her melt, especially once it was followed by what he said next. “You aren’t being ridiculous, Karen. Just give me a minute, ok?”

“Ok.”

He went into her bathroom and called Luke.

Karen stared at the partially eaten cheesecake and squeezed her shaking hands together. She didn’t want to feel as scared as she did, but she didn’t know how she was supposed to feel in her situation. Maybe she wasn’t being careful enough. How hard was it to avoid going to restaurants for a month? She could even work from home if it came to it, though she really hated that idea and didn’t know if it would work.

She blinked in the hope that her eyes would stop doing that very real thing that resembled tearing up and took a sad bite of cheesecake without even noticing his return.

“Everything’s good, Karen.”

She nodded. She was too nervous to ask if he was lying. He touched her shoulder and she looked up at him to see that smile that made her forget whatever was bothering her.

“It was just a guy who wanted your number. We get, like, _ten_ of those a day.”

She smiled and tried to deflect to make herself feel better. “What's the percentage of nighttime admirers?”

“Surprisingly high. I thought the suit and mask would mean that these poor fellows would be too intimidated to approach me, but, they'll do anything for a chance with _the brilliant Karen Page_.”

“Stop it.” She laughed.

Matt scooted his chair to her side of the table and looked toward her with raised eyebrows.

“ _Are you eating my cheesecake_ , _Ms. Page?_ ”

She took her time to respond as she swallowed her recent bite.

“ _Are you not sharing_?”

He tilted his head like he was trying to craft the perfect response.

“I should have come in here last night; then I would have had it all to myself.”

“Yeah, you should have.”

Karen thought about how much she’d wanted to see him after her disappointing date, not even trying to hide the sadness in her voice. She licked the remainder from the fork and pushed the container back to him.

Matt took another bite in an attempt to stop himself from asking questions he knew she didn’t want to answer.

“So, we probably shouldn’t go out for a while, huh?” She asked honestly.

“We can do whatever you like, Karen. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“Yeah, but, it’s not _worth it_ , right?”

He sighed. He didn’t want her to be afraid to leave her home, but the man who was after her wasn’t someone to underestimate.

“Honestly, I would keep you in a bubble 24 hours a day with several supers if you’d let me, but that’s just because I would exhaust all our resources to keep you safe.”

“Yeah, I’m not into that idea. But I’m glad you’re thinking outside the box?”

“What about an actual box?”

“That sounds like a step back, brainstorming-wise.”

“It doesn’t have to be _small_. It could be… several hundred square feet. With a bed and everything.”

“ _That_ sounds like a safe house.”

“See, that’s the label _you’re_ putting on it.”

She sighed. “Am I being stupid? Is that where we _are_ now? Who was that guy today?”

“You are never stupid, Karen Page. And no, that is not where we are. We’re keeping a close eye, for lack of a better phrase,” he cringed at his joke and jumped right past it, “but there is always the possibility that we could miss something. The guy today was a false alarm. Luke thinks he overreacted.”

She didn’t seem to notice. “I _have_ tried to limit my activity,”

“I know. And please realize, this is just the overprotective side of me telling you this, Karen. But I like to be in control of a situation and Wilson Fisk is not a person you can control. That’s why I don’t usually voice these concerns out loud. The truth is, there’s not much you can do differently— you’re doing great. And I will remain like this until I _know_ he can’t get to you. I’d never leave your side if you’d let me.”

Her lip quivered and she sniffled at his admission. She wanted to ask him why he cared so much, but she knew there was a possibility that he would do the same for just about anybody. She wondered if she wanted it to be more.

“You would be a pretty bad protector on 20+ days of no sleep, you know.”

He smiled.

“I’d be willing to find out.”


End file.
